Press Release

On the heels of joining the North American Hockey League (NAHL) as a new expansion team, the New Mexico Ice Wolves today announced Phil Fox as the team’s first head coach starting with the 2019-20 season.

Fox will lead the NM Ice Wolves in their inaugural season in the NAHL’s Southern Division playing out of Outpost Ice Arenas in Albuquerque, NM.

“I’m very excited for this opportunity to coach the New Mexico Ice Wolves,” said Phil Fox. “As a former product of the NAHL I look forward to continuing the progress of the league by keeping their tradition of developing and moving players on to the next level.”

“With head coach Phil Fox the New Mexico Ice Wolves will be exciting and competitive from the first game,” said Stan E. Hubbard, owner of the NM Ice Wolves. “Our players will be lead by Phil in their development, both on and off the ice, from his experience and dedication, and Albuquerque will benefit from his love of the game as well as his commitment to the community.”

A native of Stillwater, Minnesota, Fox has rich hockey history including playing in the NAHL during his junior career and playing for Northern Michigan University followed by four years of professional hockey.

Fox has spent the last two seasons behind the bench as head coach of the NM Ice Wolves Bantam A travel team in addition to being Vice President of the New Mexico Ice Wolves Hockey Foundation (NM Ice) and Director of Hockey for Outpost Ice Arenas. Prior to that Fox spent the 2016-2017 season as Assistant Coach of the Stillwater Ponies high school varsity team and Director of Player Development for the Stillwater Area Hockey Association in Minnesota. Before coaching in Stillwater, Fox spent two years as the Director of Hockey Operations at Northern Michigan University.

Before his coaching career Fox played four years of professional hockey first with the Central Hockey League’s (CHL) Texas Brahmas. During his rookie season in 2011 he scored 43 points (19g-24a) and posted a +11 rating in 59 games. The next year, he played in 44 games and notched 34 points (21g-13a). The Brahmas made the playoffs in 2012 and Fox notched three goals in nine postseason games. After spending a little time with the American Hockey League’s Houston Aeros, Fox returned to the CHL and played 39 games for the Allen Americans scoring 24 points (12g-12a). The Americans won the Ray Miron President’s Cup two years in a row marking just the third time in CHL history that a team had won back-to-back league titles.

Prior to playing professionally Fox played for Northern Michigan University from 2007-2011 with three of those years as captain and recording 65 points (40g-25a). With 155 games under his belt Fox ranks 21st in Northern Michigan hockey history for games played. Fox started his hockey career with the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL in 2003 and then spent two years in the NAHL with the Fargo Moorhead Jets.

The New Mexico Ice Wolves team is expected to announce additional staff and tryout dates in the upcoming weeks. You can learn more about the New Mexico Ice Wolves on their NAHL Team Page or on social media on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. For team media inquiries, please contact Aaron Martinez at amartinez@reelz.com